Curculigo pilosa

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Gethyllis pilosa

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Asparagales and the family Hypoxidaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Curculigo.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found within the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented across several specific countries, including Benin and Burkina. It also grows within the territories of Gambia and Ghana. Additionally, the species can be located in Guinea-Bissau. These locations define the current known geographical distribution of the species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Curculigo pilosa is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. It functions biologically as a geophyte, a life form where the plant survives unfavorable periods through underground storage organs, and is further classified as a cryptophyte, meaning its perennating buds are protected below the soil surface or within specialized structures.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Curculigo pilosa is characterized by a non-woody, herbaceous growth form, typically functioning as a self-supporting herb. This terrestrial plant maintains a relatively low stature, with an average plant height of approximately 0.25 m. It is an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte, and it exhibits a self-supporting climbing habit rather than being a liana or a vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.25 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Curculigo pilosa is characterized by its metabolic processes and adaptive mechanisms, most notably its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, it undergoes carbon fixation through the Calvin cycle, where the enzyme RuBisCO facilitates the initial carboxylation of CO2 to form a three-carbon compound, 3-phosphoglycerate. This metabolic route dictates the plant's efficiency in gas exchange and water use, making its physiological performance highly dependent on environmental factors such as light intensity, ambient temperature, and humidity. The plant's energy acquisition and biomass production are fundamentally governed by this C3 mechanism, which influences its overall growth rate and its ability to thrive in its specific ecological niche.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Curculigo pilosa is characterized by a complex dispersal profile that involves multiple mechanisms for seed distribution. The dispersal syndrome of this species is primarily identified as autochorous, indicating that the plant utilizes its own internal mechanisms to facilitate the spread of its offspring. Within this framework, the dispersal strategies are multifaceted, encompassing anemochorous, zoochorous, autochorous, and hydrochorous methods, though it may also be classified under an unspecialized dispersal pattern. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a diverse range of secondary dispersal syndromes, reinforcing its autochorous nature through various vectors including anthropochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, myrmecocorous, and unspecialized modes, alongside anemochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, and zoochorous processes.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Curculigo pilosa has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Pilosidine.

Pilosidine

1. Farmaco (Societa chimica italiana : 1989)

Conditions

Curculigo pilosa has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include gastrointestinal diseases, heart diseases, impotence.

Gastrointestinal diseases

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Heart diseases

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Impotence

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Curculigo pilosa has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Curculigo pilosa total extract, its butanolic fraction.

Curculigo pilosa total extract

1. Farmaco (Societa chimica italiana : 1989)

Its butanolic fraction

1. Farmaco (Societa chimica italiana : 1989)